The cationic polymerization of olefins is typically conducted in the presence of catalyst systems comprising a Lewis acid, a tertiary alkyl initiator molecule containing a halogen, ester, ether, acid or alcohol group and occasionally an electron donor molecule such as ethyl acetate. The exact combination of the components varies with each system. The tertiary alkyl initiators used in these systems are used for living and non-living carbocationic catalysts. The tertiary alkyl initiators are typically represented by the formula: ##STR1## wherein R.sub.1, R.sub.2, and R.sub.3 are a variety of alkyl or aromatic groups or combinations thereof, n is the number of initiator molecules and X is the functional group on which the Lewis acid affects a change to bring about the carbocationic initiating site. This group is typically a halogen, ester, ether, alcohol or acid group depending on the Lewis acid employed. One or two functional groups per initiator tend to lead to linear polymers while three or more tend to lead to star polymers.
Catalyst systems based on halogens and/or alkyl containing Lewis acids, such as boron trichloride and titanium tetrachloride, use various combinations of the above components and typically have similar process characteristics. For living polymerization systems, Lewis acid concentrations must exceed the concentration of initiator sites by 16 to 40 times in order to achieve 100 percent conversion in 30 minutes (based upon a degree of polymerization equal to 890) at -75 to -80.degree. C.
In nonliving polymerizations, high molecular weight polyisobutylenes are only prepared at low temperatures (-60 to -100.degree. C.) and at catalyst concentrations exceeding one catalyst molecule per initiator molecule. Frequently, these catalysts are restricted in their use to certain narrow temperature regions and concentration profiles. An improved catalyst could be used stoichiometrically rather than in excess to provide enough initiation sites over a wide range of temperatures without affecting its suitability.
Furthermore a new class of catalysts utilizing compatible non-coordinating anions in combination with cyclopentadienyl transition metal compounds has recently been disclosed by Turner and Hlatkey in U.S. Ser. Nos., 542,235, filed Jun. 22, 1990; U.S. Pat. No. 5,153,157; U.S. Pat. No. 5,198,401; and European Patent Applications 520 732, published Dec. 20, 1992; 277 003 & 277 004, each published Jun. 3, 1988. This system polymerizes olefins using a coordination mechanism in non-polar solvents. U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,196,490, 5,066,741 and 4,808,680 disclose the preparation of syndiotactic polystyrene or vinyl aromatics using non-coordinating anions in combination with cyclopentadienyl transition metal derivatives at coordination catalysis conditions.
It is desirable that a new catalyst system utilizing compatible non-coordinating anions in polar or non-polar solvent be produced that can polymerize olefins heretofore only polymerizable by cationic catalyst as well as typical monomers polymerized by coordination catalysis, preferably at the same time.